How to Maintain Creative Momentum With Habit Tracking
Want to create a better, stronger writing habit?
Here at Well-Storied, I often talk about the many reasons writers fail to put pen to paper or fingers on keys, including:
But what about those of us who are looking to maintain (or even improve upon) the writing habits we've worked to build? Today, I'd like to share the easiest way to double down on your commitment to the craft: habit tracking.
What is habit tracking, exactly?
In its most basic form, habit tracking is the act of logging each time you complete a habit you're working to build or maintain. Habit tracking itself can be beneficial for several reasons:
It serves as a visual reminder to complete your desired habit.
It provides proof of your commitment, creating a sense of pride and accomplishment.
It encourages healthy pressure and motivation.
Those looking to build habits that lack short-term gratification or an immediate sense of notable progress, such as writing a novel, may find habit tracking especially helpful.
After all, it often takes months (or even years) of difficult, determined work to complete any major aspect of the writing process, such as pre-writing, drafting, researching, or revising. It's no wonder many writers struggle to maintain a sense of momentum in their craft.
I've often shared how breaking down large goals (e.g. finishing a first draft, revising a manuscript) into daily or weekly benchmark goals can help writers find a sense of accomplishment in their everyday work.
Pairing this practice with habit tracking — the act of marking down each time you complete this daily or weekly benchmark goal — can help you transform that sense of everyday accomplishment into ongoing creative momentum.
Even if you feel miles away from finishing your draft or publishing your book, habit tracking gives evidence to the fact that you're putting in the work to make those goals happen. Your log reminds you to write despite life's distractions, and it motivates you to pick up the pen to add another check mark to the long list of finished writing sessions you've already accumulated.
In short, habit tracking is a simple but power motivational trick designed to help you push through resistance and write. Again and again and again.
Should you track your writing habit in greater detail?
Tracking your writing habit can be as simple as noting whether you wrote on any particular day. But if you want to improve your focus and efficiency as you write, tracking your writing habit in greater detail can help you identify key insights and areas in need of improvement, such as:
Where and when you complete your best work
Which activities and circumstances steal your creative energy
Which internal roadblocks commonly disrupt your focus and motivation
Tracking the finer details of a habit is a common way to seek intentional improvement regardless of one's hobby or craft of choice.
Consider marathon runners who track when and where they run, how much distance they cover, and what they eat before hitting the road, or language learners who log how much time they study, which tools they use to practice, and which aspect of the language they focused on learning that day.
The elements of your writing habit you choose to track are up to you. If you're struggling to gain a sense of creative confidence and momentum, then you may wish to log various pertinent aspects of your practice. If you simply want to maintain the habit you've already built, then keeping things simple is a-okay.
Here are the elements I choose to track when my writing practice could use some shoring up:
Energy Level: How much mental, emotional, and/or creative energy am I bringing to my writing session today? Example: high, medium, low
Current Project: What project do I intend to work on? What large milestone goal am I working toward? Example: Lady Legacy; finish the fourth draft
Current Benchmark: What small goal do I aim to achieve each day or week as I work toward completing my milestone goal? Example: write for 30 minutes a day, or write 5k a week
Doubts or Limiting Beliefs: What internal struggle(s) am I bringing to this writing session? Example: I'm worried I can't fix this chapter, or I feel like I'm never going to be a "real" writer.
Affirmations: What words of truth can I remind myself to refocus these negative thoughts? Example: I'm capable of completing difficult creative work, or I'm a real writer if I sit down and write — simple as that.
Story Issues: Are there any issues within my manuscript that I'd like to address in this writing session? Example: I've been editing too much as I write, or I need to make sure my characters' motivations are clear in this chapter.
Strategy: How do I intend to work through or resolve the story issue(s) I’m experiencing? Example: I'm going to try writing sprints, or I'm going to clarify my characters' motivations before writing.
Session Goal: What would I like to accomplish during my writing session? Example: write at least 300 words, or revise for at least 20 minutes
Start Time: When did I begin writing? (e.g. 6:15pm)
End Time: When did I finish writing? (e.g. 7:11pm)
Session Output / Accomplishments: What did I achieve during my writing session? Example: I wrote 550 words, I revised 2 chapters, I created a list of agents I'd like to query, or I researched important topics for 30 mins.
Notes: Any thoughts I’d like to add concerning my writing session. Example: I started researching 90's pop culture and got distracted by an old Spice Girls' music video; try to avoid this tomorrow!
As with any personal practice, there is no "right" way to track your writing habit. You can log your practice in as much or as little detail as you'd like. You can track your progress on paper or digitally. You can share your progress online or keep your habit private. The choice is up to you.
Finding the best habit tracking process may take a bit of time and exploration, but if you're ready to commit to maintaining (or even deepening) your practice, then I encourage you to give habit tracking a try.
If you're tracking your writing habit in great detail, I recommend completing a weekly or monthly check-in to review the data you've collected. In doing so, you may find issues within your writing habit that you wish to address (e.g. ongoing limiting beliefs or distractions) or ways to improve your writing practice (e.g. writing in a particularly productive location, limiting the length of your writing sessions to avoid burnout).
Can you see just how powerful habit tracking can be?